Polinaut: August 16, 2006 Archive

Hatch school shot misses

Posted at 7:35 AM on August 16, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy

Attorney General Mike Hatch released a letter to the media yesterday accusing the state education department of breaking the law by pushing back the release of school performance information from September to November. Hatch told MPR:

"Here we have a situation where the system that's designed to make schools more accountable is not being accountable. It's violating the law, keeping the information secret and what the Department of Education should do is disclose the results and explain what the deficiencies are so that people can take that into account. You still have to follow the law."

One problem--Hatch was wrong.

Education commissioner Alice Seagren noted the Legislature changed the law last year, allowing for the delay because of new tests, and that the federal government also approved the delay. She told MPR:

"A courtesy call from the attorney general's office to our office would have cleared that up immediately. You know they're charging that we're not following the law, but I would charge that any first year law student should be able to research laws and find out what the latest amended version is."

Hatch's office fired a letter back to Seagren saying they still believe the department has to release the data on September 1. Seagren says many of the organizations representing school superintendents and schools support the department's decision to delay the test scores. They say the basic message is that parents will have to wait a few more months to know how their public school is performing.

But wait...another wrinkle to the Hatch story

Posted at 10:30 AM on August 16, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy (1 Comments)

John Croman from KARE 11 sent this:

Reference your piece on Mike Hatch, we determined Tuesday after numerous calls to Legislative Research Reference Library that Hatch is technically correct -- the statute he reviewed (120b.36) has NOT been amended.

Of course this all is on a level of detail we can never approach on TV. Every other journalist seems to accept the "law was changed" version. -- John

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The Daily Digest: 8-16-06

Posted at 10:36 AM on August 16, 2006 by Tom Scheck

GOP Congressman Mark Kennedy leads the digest today. He begins his statewide tout touting his plan for "bringing the right change to Washington." Kennedy stops in several southern Minnesota cities today. Meanwhile The Hill has a story that Kennedy and several other Republican candidates are trying to co-opt the message of "change" from Democrats:

Their message of change could be a tough sell considering that their party is in charge and largely responsible for the status quo. Kennedy, who as a three-term congressman would seem to have an even tougher time embodying change, mostly talks about change in terms of getting rid of partisanship and obstruction in the Senate. But he shies away from directly criticizing his own party for the polarized environment.

Kennedy is also running his third television ad that focuses on gas prices. He says he wants to suspend the federal gas tax and redirect tax breaks given to oil companies to alternative energy sources. That prompted howls from the DFL Party. DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez says Kennedy voted against legislation that would end tax breaks for oil companies. They also say he took $120,000 in campaign contributions from oil and gas companies.

Heidi Frederickson, with the Kennedy campaign, says Kennedy has stood up against proposals by oil and gas companies, citing his opposition to drilling in national parks and stand alone bills that would authorize drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (kennedy voted for a Defense Appropriations bill that allowed drilling in ANWR something the Kennedy campaign says 70 other Democrats did as well).

It's not only DFLers who are criticizing the Kennedy ad. Craig Westover questions Kennedy's tactics in his blog.

The Star Tribune's Eric Black has more analysis on the ad here...

The Star Tribune has a story focusing on the three female candidates for governor challenging the endorsed party candidates:

Becky Lourey, Sue Jeffers and Pam Ellison are running against powerful party organizations, superior name recognition and much larger treasuries in long-shot quests to be the first woman elected the state's governor.

Their messages, especially those of Lourey and Jeffers, are strikingly similar in one way. They say they are the principled and authentic alternative to politics as usual, more faithful to their party's core values than their endorsed opponents.

The Star Tribune also has a story on Pam Ellison's single payer health care plan.

You can listen to Ellison's ideas on MPR's Midday.

Attorney General Mike Hatch and the Pawlenty Administration argue over the release of student test results. The Star Tribune, the AP, the Pioneer Press and Forum Communications have stories on the delayed results. You can read more about the dispute in an earlier post.

The Star Tribune also has a write up on the candidates for State Auditor. DFLer Rebecca Otto says Republican State Auditor Pat Anderson has poor accounting practices. Anderson says Otto is wrong.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak released his budget proposal which includes funding for more police officers. MPR and the Star Tribune have stories.

Ron Schara writes an op-ed that continues Dennis Anderson's theme that Dean Johnson and the DFL Senate are responsible for killing the dedicated sales tax to the environment.

The Rochester Post Bulletin has a story on the Mayo Clinic admitting former President Gerald Ford for tests.

The New York Times has a story on Michael Schiavo's entry in politics. They say he started a PAC that's aimed against politicians who tried to stop Ms. Schiavo's death

Finally, the NYTimes has a story on the demise of state fairs across the country. Don't worry. They say the Great Minnesota Get Together is safe

Hatch names campaign manager

Posted at 1:39 PM on August 16, 2006 by Tom Scheck

Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch, the DFL endorsed candidate for governor, named Jon Youngdahl his campaign manager. Youngdahl is taking a leave of absence as the Executive Director of the Minnesota State Council of the Service Employees International Union to run Hatch's campaign. Youngdahl also served as Campaign Manager for Mike Freeman's 1998 gubernatorial campaign and was an advisor and volunteer on the campaigns of the late Senator Paul Wellstone.

Bill Clinton will be in Minnesota next month

Posted at 2:05 PM on August 16, 2006 by Tom Scheck

The DFL Party says former President Bill Clinton is coming to Minnesota next month. Party spokeswoman Jess McIntosh says Clinton will attend a DFL unity dinner on September 16th, just four days after the September primary. She says they don't have specifics on the fundraiser like the dinner's location and the cost of tickets. The fundraiser will benefit DFLers. Clinton's visit comes just weeks after President Bush will be in Minnesota to hold a fundraiser for Republican Michele Bachmann's campaign for Congress. President Bush's fundraiser is scheduled for next Tuesday in Wayzata.